


The Confession

by TheSkyIsALie



Series: Affections of the Underworld [5]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Nightwing (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: Aged-Up Damian, Angst, Demon AU, Demon!Dick, Demon!Jason, Halloween, M/M, student!tim
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-29
Updated: 2018-10-29
Packaged: 2019-08-09 15:32:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16452611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSkyIsALie/pseuds/TheSkyIsALie
Summary: “Timmy, jus’ calm down fer a second, yeah? I’ll explain everythin’... Darlin’, we ain’t really-”“Human.” Tim supplied, voice a little watery.“No,” Jason admitted with a heavy sigh, head bowing as he seemed to finally give in. “No, we ain’t.”





	The Confession

**Author's Note:**

> Who's excited for all this angst and finding out who exactly Damian is? I would be if I didn't already know.
> 
> I would also like to say thank you to my girlfriend for listening and at least partially paying attention to all of my rambings as I have planned and written this story, (though she won't actually see this as she doesn't check my updates).

The sky had long since darkened by the time Tim had finished his final class at university, the winds having picked up throughout the day and the temperature dropping as night drew closer. Most of the students had already vacated the university grounds and surrounding streets in their hurried effort to escape the cold - though Tim wasn’t sure he wanted to go home yet.

He had no idea if Jason or Dick would still be there - no idea if they had continued the argument he had barely heard before he had left for the day. They could have fought, fallen out - perhaps one had stormed out and left the other to wait for him alone. Perhaps they had both left and Tim would return to a cold, empty apartment like he had grown so unused to doing.

He was more than a little scared of going home.

Tim didn’t head for the monorail station as he often would - instead turning in the opposite direction as he left the university campus and heading for Robinson park. To walk from one end of the park to the other took at least half an hour and could be easily stretched much longer depending on the path one chose. It would probably take Tim over an hour to get back to his apartment if he walked, so that was exactly what he did.

Avoiding his inevitable arrival home was a coward’s actions, but Tim couldn’t bring himself to do much else.

The park was lit, the trees bare and the grass and flower beds covered by the oranges and browns of the fallen autumn leaves. Tim stuffed his hands in his pockets, burying his face into the material of his scarf as much as he could in an attempt to shield himself from the cold and harsh winds.

The lights of a food vendor brightened the pathway a little further up ahead - the soft hum of its generator quietened against the howling of the wind. A figure stood before the vendor - a customer purchasing something to keep themselves warm against the evening air, dressed in black with a face Tim recognised once he had stepped close enough.

“Timothy,” Damian greeted as he turned from the food vendor and spotted the little human. Tim offered a smile behind the warmth of his scarf. “You do not appear to be handling the chill weather terribly well.”

Tim couldn’t help the huff of a laugh he let out, nodding in agreement.

“I’ve never been good with winter,” he admitted after a moment, “though I love the season. I take forever to warm up once I’ve been out in the cold too long.”

“Then you must warm yourself. Select something, I will purchase it for you.” Damian decided, gesturing towards the vendor beside him, busily preparing whatever it was the elder had ordered.

“Oh, no, thank you. I can eat when I get home, don’t worry.”

“Nonsense, little one, I insist. You have a sweet tooth, do you not? Perhaps you would like some doughnuts?” Damian hummed, glancing at the sandwich board menu and ignoring Tim’s objections.

“No, Damian, it’s fine please-”

“A bag of your fried doughnuts as well, and a hot chocolate with extra sugar.” Damian ordered, the food vendor nodding with a polite smile. Damian turned back to Tim, “You have only recently left your university?”

“I take extra classes that run later for my scholarship.” Tim sighed, resigning himself to being treated by the man he had only met earlier that day. “I figured I would walk home instead of taking the monorail for once - the walk will do me good.”

“You do not wish to return to your apartment yet.” Damian stated, as if he could read Tim’s true thoughts easily, “You are unsure as to the situation you will return to involving your friends.”

Tim nodded silently, watching as the food vendor handed Damian his orders, totaling up the second order once Damian had passed over what he had gotten for Tim - humming at the younger’s thanks as he paid.

“I’m mostly worried they won’t be there anymore, but I don’t want them to be still be angry with each other, either.”

“Of course, there is only one way you are able to know.” Damian offered, moving away from the vendor and waiting for a brief moment as Tim stepped up beside him, walking in stride with Damian and cradling the styrofoam cup of his hot chocolate.

“I know, but I still don’t really want to go back just yet.”

“So you are allowing yourself time to build courage. There is no sin in that.” Damian hummed, acting as if the inner turmoil Tim had been heavy with since leaving his university was barely something to bat an eye at. Tim sighed again,

“I suppose. Thank you.”

“There is nothing to thank me for.” Damian dismissed, taking a sip from his own hot drink.

Tim walked with Damian through the park, keeping a steady conversation with the elder as he nibbled on the doughnuts he had been treated to. They had just crossed the bridge that ran over Finger River when Tim frightened a little as the lamp lights that lit their path flickered off for a moment. Damian turned before any sound was made, and Tim startled when his name was called sharply from behind them.

“Timmy!” Dick was grabbing his arm barely a second later and Tim dropped the cup that still held a little of his hot chocolate as he was pulled into the elder’s chest and held there tightly - protectively.

Where had Dick come from? Tim had been sure Damian and himself were alone almost the entire time - only passing one man walking his dog in the late evening a few minutes before. No one had been behind them on the single path of the park, he was sure of that.

“What a pleasant surprise.” Damian’s voice was monotonous, holding none of the joy his words would suggest. Dick didn’t let Tim move from his shiedling embrace, but the little human could guess the other’s expression was unimpressed just from his tone. Did they know each other?

“What are you doing here, Damian?” Dick’s voice was low and deadly in a way Tim had never heard it before, and he instinctively tensed at the obvious but undefined danger of the situation.

“Observing.” Damian replied, sounding disinterested.

“The fuck ya are.” Tim jerked again in Dick’s arms, attempting to see over the elder’s shoulder, though he still wasn’t allowed any leeway. He hadn’t seen Jason when Dick had grabbed him - hadn’t had any idea the other was there as well, sounding a little further back behind Dick.

“Todd,” Damian greeted, still seeming unimpressed, “eloquent as always.”

“What do you want, Damian?” Dick asked again, hold tightening around Tim just a little more.

“I had merely caught wind of your situation and wished to seek any truth behind the rumours for myself.” Damian sighed, “Honestly, I’ve no idea what you would expect me to do with poor Timothy, anyway. He is clearly tethered to Todd and caught in quite the agreement, at that. The pitiful little thing clearly has no idea what he’s caught in, either.”

“Dick?” Tim asked, pulling away from the elder a little as Dick’s arms loosened upon his call, “What’s he talking about?”

“Baby, we need to leave.” Dick hurried in lieu of answering, seeming suddenly much more panicked as soon as his attention was turned to Tim.

“Why? What’s going on?” Tim asked, confused and steadily feeling increasingly worried with Dick’s reactions. Damian had been nothing but polite, and while Tim wasn’t generally stupid enough to trust just anyone he met, Jason and Dick’s reactions to the other seemed too exaggerated for a simple walk home in the park.

“Yes, Richard, I would advise you explain to your little human. Clearly Todd never struck a fair deal, and it should be up to Timothy to righten that.” Damian hummed.

“Yer jus’ tryin’ ta get him fer yaself.” Jason growled, suddenly right at Dick’s side instead of somewhere behind him. Tim startled a little at the other’s sudden presence, fearing the situation more when he saw the pure rage on Jason’s face.

“And what if I am? You created an improper deal, Todd - should your contract break and I take Timothy, he would only benefit from the trap you have him in. He has less than a year to be stuck in an unresolvable love triangle with you two fools only to die by your hands without ever knowing the only thing to keep him going was mere fabrications anyway.”

“We’re leaving.” Jason announced, as if Damian had never even spoken. Tim remained quiet as he attempted to figure out what Damian had said, ignoring the heavy hand Jason placed on his shoulder. He turned to look at Damian behind him, to see the expression on his face and attempt to figure out a meaning behind the other’s words - though he was only met with the low, wall mounted lights of the main room of his apartment.

Tim gasped, yanking himself from Dick’s arms and pushing the elder away. He looked around, confirming that he was, indeed, stood in the centre of his apartment with Jason and Dick both watching him warily.

“Wha-” Tim gasped, his panic rising.

“Timmy- calm down, calm down.” Jason attempted to sooth, taking a step forward as he reached out for Tim, only to have the little human step back, looking afraid.

“What’s going on?” the younger asked, voice a little shaky, “Jay? What was Damian talking about? Why’re we home? _How_ are we home?”

“You gotta tell him, Jay. There’s no explaining this away.” Dick piped up from behind the other demon, momentarily ignoring Tim’s pleas before he glanced over to the little human with uncertainty in his eyes. “I’ll leave you two alone.” he sighed.

Tim watched the elder, waiting for him to move passed Jason in the direction of the door to leave the apartment, though Dick did not move. There was a moment’s quiet as Dick seemed to decide on something and when Tim opened his mouth to ask, he blinked - only to find Dick gone when he opened his eyes.

Tim startled, but didn’t make a sound - eyes flickering between Jason and the place Dick had just stood, desperately seeking an answer.

“ _Fuck_ ,” Jason cursed, running a hand through his hair exasperatedly as he seemingly took a moment to sort the words out in his head before turning to Tim. “Timmy, jus’ calm down fer a second, yeah? I’ll explain everythin’... Darlin’, we ain’t really-”

“Human.” Tim supplied, voice a little watery.

“No,” Jason admitted with a heavy sigh, head bowing as he seemed to finally give in. “No, we ain’t.”

“Then what are you?”

“We’re demons, darlin’. I’m a contract demon ‘nd... Dickie’s an incubus.” Jason paused, waiting for any sort of reply from Tim. None came, though the demon didn’t overlook the slight quivering to the little human’s body. “The night we met - on the monorail when it broke down on the tracks - I made a contract with ya, Timmy.”

“What- what contract did we make? What did you take?” Tim asked, clearly attempting to keep his voice steady, though it was largely futile.

“Yer soul.”

“And what did I get in return?” Tim swallowed.

“Ya asked fer someone ta stay with ya - ta not be lonely anymore.”

“I got _you_?” And there was a little anger and exasperation in Tim’s voice then that slipped passed the bewilderment and fear. There was a silence in the room as Jason didn’t reply, admitting his answer as the positive with his lack of words. “Was this all fake?”

“Timmy-”

“Was everything we had just an act? Was it all just a part of the deal?” And Tim couldn’t help the tears that pricked at the corners of his eyes - the heaviness of his chest. He had thought he had finally truly found someone that wouldn’t leave - but did it count if they stayed but only pretended to want to?

“No, darlin’, I swear- I care about ya more than anything ‘nd I wanna be with-”

“What about Dick?” Tim cut Jason off, unwilling to acknowledge the desperation in the elder’s voice. “You said he was an incubus. Was he only using me, too?”

“Dickie’s never told ya anythin’ but the truth, darlin’ - even if it ain’t all a’ it. He showed up lookin’ fer me, he stayed because he found you. He ain’t done anything against ya, Timmy. This is all on me, ya can’t blame Dickie fer fallin’ for ya ‘nd stickin’ around.”

“Dick _fell_ for me?”

“We both did.” Jason sighed, resigning himself to admitting everything to Tim, as was clearly the right thing to do. Tim remained silent for a while, fingers toying with the drawstrings of his hoodie as he seemed to decide on something.

“I don’t believe you.” he stated simply, “If you’re a demon, I can’t trust you. You’ve told me nothing but lies for months - why should this be any different?”

“Timmy, wait-”

“Damian said I was going to die by the end of the contract.” Tim continued, no longer willing to acknowledge Jason’s words at all. “How long do I have?”

Jason quietened at the question, clearly reluctant to answer as he scuffed his boots against the floor.

“A year.” he replied, eventually.

Jason watched as something in Tim crumbled - the anger that had pushed the pain aside breaking away to allow for the true realisation that he had sold his soul for a year of company and lies. Detailed memories of the night he had made the deal with Jason flooded back to him - no longer kept away by the demon’s powers, and Tim pressed a hand over his mouth in a weak attempt to conceal the sob he let out as his tears spilled over.

“Timmy, I’m so sorry, darlin’. I swear, if I could do anythin’-” Jason hurried out, attempting to step closer to Tim - to wrap him in his arms and sooth him in the ways that had become so natural to him over the months.

“No!” Tim cried, pushing Jason away. “No, you’ve contracted me to die! You don’t get to pretend to care about me anymore.”

“Timmy, _please_ , I care about ya more than anythin’. I love you, Tim, please. I want ta fix this - Dickie ‘nd I have been tryin’ ta find a way ta break this contract-”

“I don’t believe you!” Tim shouted, scrubbing at his tears with the sleeves of his coat. He turned on his heel, moving quickly in the direction of the front door and fighting against the tight hold Jason clamped around his upper arm as soon as the demon had figured out he was trying to run.

“No, Timmy, I swear we’re gonna fix this-”

“Let me go, Jason!” Tim sobbed, clawing the elder’s hand from his arm and bolting for the door as soon as he was free. He didn’t bother shutting the door after him - didn’t care he’d dropped his bag in the mainroom with all his essentials in it. He just wanted to get away from Jason - just wanted to get out of the lies and the pain of knowing like he truly always had that no matter how hard he tried, he would always be alone.

Tim ran from his apartment building and back out onto the cold streets of Gotham with no real direction in mind - not running _towards_ anything up instead _away_ from everything. He didn’t know if Jason had followed him, though he was far from a fast runner and by two blocks he figured the elder would have caught up to him should he have given chase.

Tim found himself at the very edge of the Diamond District when he finally paused enough to take in his surroundings. He was nowhere near fit enough to run the entire way and so had slowed to a fast paced walk not long after he had decided he wasn’t being followed. He crossed the road that lead to the gates of Robinson Park, making his way back into the grounds and seating himself on one of the nearby benches with a heavy sigh.

“I assume Todd has finally told you his truths.” the voice startled Tim more than he cared to admit. Damian was stood to the side of the bench where he definitely had not been a moment ago, hands shielded in the pockets of his coat and looking down at Tim’s tear streaked face.

“You knew everything.” Tim figured out, sniffing against the cold and wrapping his arms around himself as a shiver ran down his spine. Damian moved around the metal arm of the bench to seat himself beside Tim.

“Indeed, I did. Both Grayson and Todd are technically under my command, though I do not control them.” Damian explained, gaze on the empty park before them and the slight mist that had begun to roll in as the rough winds of the day began to die down. “You did not read in to my business card as much as I thought you might have - though, I was under the impression you knew more than you did, so I supposed you had no reason to.”

“Your business card? Uh, Higher Executive of the League of Laboratories… right?”

“The initials, Timothy, are enough of a clue any sort of inhuman being would need.”

“...Hell?” Tim solved, “So, you’re a demon, too?”

“Indeed, Timothy. I am Damian Al Ghul - one of the Three Princes of Underworld.”

“Jason said he couldn’t break my contract.” Tim began, fingers playing with the bottom hem of his hoodie.

“He would surely face dire consequences were he to, yes - as would Richard.” Damian agreed.

“But you’re more powerful than them, right? As a- as a prince? Could you break my contract?” Tim asked more than a little hopefully. Damian remained quiet for a moment, seemingly thinking.

“I can certainly aid you in breaking it yourself. Though, of course, my help would come at a price.”

“What… what would you want?” Tim asked, rightfully hesitant.

“I have yet to decide. I believe I would be happy enough to seek you out once I had found a use for your debt.” Damian announced, sure of his decision. Tim thought - being indebted to one of the Three Princes of Hell sounded more than dangerous, but then, so did being contracted to any sort of demon at all.

“Would it be worse than the terms I have with Jason?”

“If it is torture you are thinking of, little one, then cast it from your mind. Demons can be malicious, but not without gain. Your soul is pure and certainly worth the bother that Grayson and Todd have been going through for it - to wish harm on yourself would be to tarnish your soul, which would be nothing but loss for me. No, the worst you could expect from my debt would be to take your soul in the same way Todd will - in which case you have only gained extra time.”

“I can’t trust you.”

“The only demon you can trust is an incubus, little one,” Damian hummed, leaning back against the wood of the bench, “They do not lie. Now, do you wish for my aid in breaking your contract or not?”

Tim brought his feet up onto the bench, tucking his knees beneath his chin and wrapping his arms around his legs. He allowed the quiet of the night in the park to stretch on a little as he decided - clearly, he was doomed no matter which option he chose. At least with Damian he had the chance of uncertainty allowing him a better outcome.

“How will you do it?” he asked on a shaky exhale.

“The terms of your contract were for you to hand your soul over to Todd once your year of living with company was finalised. Your soul must be in the same purest condition it was when your contract was signed - as such, for you to successfully terminate the agreement, you must… tarnish your soul.”

“As in… commit sins?” Tim guessed, brows drawn together.

“Essentially, yes.”

“I won’t hurt anyone.” the little human dismissed, unsure of what Damian would suggest, but sure of what he would not agree too.

“It would not be required. Your easiest solution would to become impure.” Damian hummed, sharp eyes on Tim’s, who blushed and began to fidget.

“Was- was what I did with Dick- was that not enough?” he asked after a moment.

“Evidently not, as your contract is still intact. Richard did not take your virginity, so you are still pure.”

“When you said you would help,” Tim began in a small voice, no longer willing to meet Damian’s piecing eyes, “did you mean-”

“That I would take your virginity? Precisely, should you wish it. Were either Grayson or Todd to break this contract themselves they would be stripped of their power and dragged back to hell - though as a noble of the Underworld, no such thing may happen to myself. I could very easily break your contract for you, Timothy.”

Tim sat quietly, thinking over Damian’s words. He didn’t want to be a part of this - didn’t want to be tied to an inevitable death in only a few months time, though nor did he want to be indebted to possibly one of the most powerful demons to exist. Clearly, however, he had little choice.

“Okay.” Tim agreed on a sigh, gaze flickering up to meet Damian’s bright eyes and sharp smile.

“As you wish, little one. Come, we should take refuge from this cold.”

Damian stood, offering out his hand. Tim placed his palm in the demon’s - noting that Damian was neither as warm as Jason nor as soft as Dick as he was lead away from the park bench and into the night.

**Author's Note:**

> Now who is excited for the final story that may or may not actually resolve this mess?
> 
> Visit my Tumblr at the-sky-is-a-lie or come and chat on Discord at #7527


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